Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe is a flat, oven baked Italian bread similar in texture and flavor to a pizza dough. Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe can be served as a side to any main, along with soups, as a table bread or as a snack. Today I’ll share a delicious vegan recipe for a classic Focaccia.

Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe is basically very easy to put together. It is in principle like any other bread, only you add olive oil to the dough and the toppings of one’s choice on the top. I’ve decided to make this bread all vegan which is the ideal way to make a classic Focaccia bread. There is never any need to add butter or milk to the dough. I have used water to hydrate the dough along with generous helpings of olive oil which adds a beautiful flavor and aroma to the bread.

Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe has the most soft texture. It is super fluffy and extremely moist. All that olive oil does the magic. It gives the focaccia that beautiful crumb. Although I love dense focaccia as well but somehow the fluffy ones make me the happiest! Besides, they are so much more chewy. They have so much bite in them than their dense counterparts. You’ll agree with me once you’ve tried it my way 😉 Pair this bread with my Vegan & GF Mexican Vegetable soup for that perfect Fall evening.

Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe bakes beautifully to give the perfect crisp top. Thus accommodating just about any topping! They can range from veggies to fresh herbs or even fruits! You can play along with the flavors as you please. I’ve kept mine very minimal today just because I wanted to first share the basics of making the perfect Focaccia! Yes, I had received some requests for the same and hence I thought I should do a vegan version keeping in mind the dietary restrictions many of my readers have told me about.

Yeast – I use active dry yeast which needs proving (that’s when you dissolve the yeast with warm liquid as mentioned in the recipe for 6-8 minutes). If you use instant yeast, then that can be added directly to the flour. Either of these ingredients are easily available and they both work just fine.

Flour – Bread flour is used in most recipes from the West, however I’ve not been able to find any around me so I simply use All Purpose Flour. Bread flour has more protein and hence churns out taller and chewier rolls/ breads. All Purpose Flour will give you slightly shorter and less chewy rolls/ breads but the taste will be excellent.

Hydration – The dough for any sort of rolls/ bread needs to be hydrated just enough to be slightly tacky (sticky), just barely though. Adding way too much flour can result in stiff dough which in turn make stiff, dry rolls/ breads.

Measurements – Just scoop out the flour with the measuring cup and level it flat. Always use some extra flour to knead th dough just incase if the dough becomes too sticky.

So just keep these pointers super handy and your breads/ rolls will rock!

Let us start with the Vegan Focaccia Recipe.

Take 1/2 cup of warm water in a glass or bowl, add the yeast & sugar. Stir it lightly. Set it aside for 10 minutes to let the yeast bloom. (Note that if the water is too hot, the yeast won’t bloom. So be careful with the water. If the yeast doesn’t bloom, start again).

Once the yeast has bloomed, in a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt. Give them a quick mix.

To the flour and salt mixture, add olive oil and begin adding the bloomed yeast.

Do not add all the yeast mixture at one go as we may end up with a very gluey and wet dough. Keep adding a little bit at a time and make a dough.

Add the rest of the 1/2 cup of warm water too, slowly and keep kneading.

We may not need all of the water, so use it as and when you feel the dough drying up. I did use the entire 1/2 cup of water. (this makes the dough quite sticky and gluey so be careful. If you have experience of handling such a sticky dough the please add the entire 1 cup of water. The added moisture in the dough gives a chewy bread). *Overall, I added the entire 1 cup of water the recipe calls for here.*

The dough needs to be tacky and not extremely sticky. This is a no-knead bread so we are not going to knead it for more than 3-4 minutes on the work surface.

Then put the dough back in a large greased mixing bowl, cover it with kitchen towel and set in a warm corner for the first proving.

Grease a 7″ square pan with some olive oil. Set it aside.

The dough will have doubled in size in about an hour. If not, let it sit for another 25-30 minutes depending on what part of the world you live in. I’m in a fairly warm city and my dough almost tripled in 50 minutes.

Punch down the dough ever so slightly. We don’t need to deflate it or knead it again. Simply tip the dough into the greased baking tin and gently push it around the tin.

Place the tin in a warm corner for the next 30 minutes for second proving.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 210’c for 10 minutes.

Bake the focaccia bread for 25-30 minutes. Every oven works differently so keep that in mind as the baking time may differ. So adjust the baking time accordingly.

Once the bread has been baked, bring it out of the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes on a cooling rack before demolding the same. Once it has cooled down a bit, slice and serve.

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Vegan Focaccia Recipe | No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe

Focaccia Bread is a flat, oven baked Italian bread similar in texture and flavor to a pizza dough. Focaccia Bread can be served as a side to any main, along with soups, as a table bread or as a snack. Today I'll share a delicious vegan recipe for a classic Focaccia bread.

Course
Side Dish, Snack, starters

Cuisine
Italian

Prep Time2hours

Cook Time30minutes

Total Time2hours30minutes

Servings8squares

AuthorShreya Ashish Tiwari

Ingredients

2.5cupsall purpose flour

1tsp salt

6 tbspolive oilplus extra for greasing and topping

1cup warm water

1.5 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp mixed Italian herbsdried, for topping

1/2tsp red chili flakesfor topping

black olives, sliced capsicum for topping optional

1/4 tsp sea salt for topping optional

Instructions

Take 1/2 cup of warm water in a glass or bowl, add the yeast & sugar. Stir it lightly. Set it aside for 10 minutes to let the yeast bloom. (Note that if the water is too hot, the yeast won't bloom. So be careful with the water. If the yeast doesn't bloom, start again).

Once the yeast has bloomed, in a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt. Give them a quick mix.

To the flour and salt mixture, add olive oil and begin adding the bloomed yeast.

Do not add all the yeast mixture at one go as we may end up with a very gluey and wet dough. Keep adding a little bit at a time and make a dough.

Add the rest of the 1/2 cup of warm water too, slowly and keep kneading.

We may not need all of the water, so use it as and when you feel the dough drying up. I did use the entire 1/2 cup of water. (this makes the dough quite sticky and gluey so be careful. If you have experience of handling such a sticky dough the please add the entire 1 cup of water. The added moisture in the dough gives a chewy bread). *Overall, I added the entire 1 cup of water the recipe calls for here.*

The dough needs to be tacky and not extremely sticky. This is a no-knead bread so we are not going to knead it for more than 3-4 minutes on the work surface.

Then put the dough back in a large greased mixing bowl, cover it with kitchen towel and set in a warm corner for the first proving.

Grease a 7" square pan with some olive oil. Set it aside.

he dough will have doubled in size in about an hour. If not, let it sit for another 25-30 minutes depending on what part of the world you live in. I'm in a fairly warm city and my dough almost tripled in 50 minutes.

Punch down the dough ever so slightly. We don't need to deflate it or knead it again. Simply tip the dough into the greased baking tin and gently push it around the tin.

I love popsicles and I cannot lie. LoL!!! It’s not a secret I guess. Each summer, I share a few recipes. These Strawberry Popsicles are pretty straightforward too. This recipe is gluten free and vegan. It is also Paleo. Hence, folks who are on a diet can enjoy these too.

Strawberry Popsicles – Gluten free, Vegan, Paleo is a new experiment which rocked! Last year I had shared the recipe for my Volcano Pops, for which I got amazing feedback too! And have you guys seen my Mango and Kiwi Popsicles, pretty and so flavorsome! There are so many kinds of fruit based popsicles I’m yet to try and share here, the possibilities are endless.:)

I prefer using everyday, easily available ingredients for making pops. These Strawberry Popsicles – Gluten free, Vegan, Paleo are very easy to put together. Ideal for kids too as these do not contains added colors or preservatives. Since they are full health, it’s safe to say that you can have them for breakfast when it gets way too hot! No one’s judging!

So coming to what goes into it, well anything goes actually. I love strawberries and they are in abundance around me so I’ve used those. Use any fruit juice or pulp, it will work. To my surprise, strawberries are really sweet this year, hardly any tang or tartness. As always I’ve been snacking on them by the pound! So, when I wanted to male these pops, I didn’t need much sugar. In fact, I’ve used natural sweeteners in a very small quantity to balance the little tang from the lemon juice. For the final element of freshness in every lick, I added something from my kitchen garden!!

The overall flavor blew us away! So little to do and you’ll be all set for these icy cool treats for the next few days. Sounds good??!
Wash and pat dry the strawberries.
We will start with hulling the berries.
Add them in a blender, pour honey or agave.
Top these with a splash of fresh lemon juice.
Add a few sprigs of fresh mint.
Give everything a whizz until smooth.
Pour this into moulds of your choice and freeze until solid or for 8 hours.
Enjoy!

I always wanted to make marshmallows at home and these Small Batch Vanilla Mini Marshmallows are the bomb!! These make for the perfect topping for my hot cocoa. I may not have a snowy view outside my window, I still have these little beauties .

I think these look like small puffs of snow 🙂 These Small Batch Vanilla Mini Marshmallows taste so good, much better than the store bought ones. I’m really happy I did make them after all! Making these was not difficult at all! So all you peeps out there who’ve been scared of trying them, look no further! I’ve got you the best recipe 🙂

You can make use of this recipe either to make large squares or mini ones like I’ve made here. You can even add flavors of your choice, peppermint, lemon or anything else. I’ve used vanilla as it was my first attempt and I didn’t know if I should take the risk. But, I’m going to be bold the next time 🙂

You will need some instruments needed for making Small Batch Vanilla Mini Marshmallows.
A candy thermometer, a sieve, measuring cups, spoons, a large mixing bowl, 7*7 inch baking pan (if making mini marshmallows) or a 5*9 inch loaf pan (if making large squares), a heavy bottom sauce pan, electric hand whisk, a silicon spatula.

Keep all the ingredients ready and measured on the work surface because once you start, this recipe moves really fast.
Choose the pan which you want to use. Line it with parchment paper.
Dust the pan liberally with confectioners sugar and ensure you cover every corner.
Take 3 tablespoons of water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the water. Do not stir. Set it aside so that the gelatin can bloom.
In a saucepan, add granulated sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir them together.
Turn the flame on high and let the ingredients come to a boil, do not stir them.
Clip on a candy thermometer on the side of the pan. Let the ingredients boil till the temperature reaches 238’F.
Once the sugar mixture reaches 238’F, take it off the heat and keep your electric hand whisk ready.
Pour the sugar mixture slowly into the bowl and simultaneously start whisking in the mixture with the bloomed gelatin.

Add the sugar mixture very slowly and keep whisking at a medium speed for 10 minutes.
This is how the texture should be after beating the mixture for about 8-10 minutes.

Next, add the vanilla extract. Give this mixture one last whisk and pour the mixture into the prepared pan using the silicon spatula.

Let this mixture set for about 2-3 hours at room temperature.
After the marshmallow has set, dust the top with more confectioners sugar and let the marshmallow sit in the pan for another 6-7 hours.

Once the marshmallow has completely set, sprinkle some more confectioners sugar on the work surface or on a silicon mat.
Turn the pan over on the surface and use a knife or kitchen shears to cut the marshmallows. Roll the marshmallows in more confectioners sugar before storing in an airtight box.
They keep fresh at room temperature for about 3-4 days.

Small Batch Vanilla Mini Marshmallows are the perfect treats for the Holidays. Soft, fluffy and melt in mouth bite sized Marshmallows are so easy to make, do try these soon!

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup (clear)

pinch of salt

6 tbsp. cool water

2.5 tsp unflavored gelatin (1 sachet)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners sugar ( use half to line the pan and the other half to dust the top of the marshmallow)

Instructions

Keep all the ingredients ready and measured on the work surface because once you start, this recipe moves really fast.

Choose the pan which you want to use. Line it with parchment paper.

Dust the pan liberally with about 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and ensure you cover every corner.

Take 3 tablespoons of water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the water. Do not stir.

Set it aside so that the gelatin can bloom.

In a saucepan, add granulated sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir them together.

Turn the flame on high and let the ingredients come to a boil, do not stir them.

Clip on a candy thermometer on the side of the pan. Let the ingredients boil till the temperature reaches 238'F.

Once the sugar mixture reaches 238'F, take it off the heat and keep your electric hand whisk ready.

Pour the sugar mixture slowly into the bowl and simultaneously start whisking in the mixture with the bloomed gelatin.

Add the sugar mixture very slowly and keep whisking at a medium speed for 10 minutes.

The texture of the mixture after beating for about 8-10 minutes should be thick and shiny white.

Next, add the vanilla extract. Give this mixture one last whisk and pour the mixture into the prepared pan using the silicon spatula.

Let this mixture set for about 2-3 hours at room temperature.

After the marshmallow has set, dust the top with more confectioners sugar and let the marshmallow sit in the pan for another 6-7 hours.

Once the marshmallow has completely set, sprinkle 1/2 cup confectioners sugar on the work surface or on a silicon mat.

Turn the pan over on the surface and use a knife or kitchen shears to cut the marshmallows. Roll the marshmallows in more confectioners sugar before storing in an airtight box.

They keep fresh at room temperature for about 3-4 days.

Notes

Roll every edge of the cut marshmallows in confectioners so that they do not stick together.
Using a candy thermometer is essential, try with that for perfect results.
The texture of the mixture becomes very thick and sticky so work quickly and swiftly.

Hey all….yes..I have been a bit out of it lately…blame the summers..! Yes, please do blame the summers…so that you have an excellent excuse to make yourself some creamy….dreamy ice cream 😍

My No Churn, No Cook and egg free Tutti Frutti Ice Cream 🤗🤗 should cool you down I guess….it certainly did cool us down…scoop after scoop were polished off this last weekend and I have been ordered by my man to make some more ice cream ASAP! I will indulge him😘 I always do…..

I prefer ice creams rarely…more of a Popsicle girl..(see my Fruity Volcano Popsicle here …you’ll love it!). But when I do make an ice cream…I make a mean one! It’s always on point! 👌🏼😉 I love ice creams that need no churning machines and fancy equipment….and definitely no fancy ingredients! They need to be simple, easy to put together and they must taste better than the ones at your favourite ice cream place..!

This Tutti Frutti ice cream checks all the right boxes and is big on flavour!! 💃🏻It’s slightly citrusy…..that’s my version. You can go with the classic vanilla flavour or even almond extract would go beautifully. There are infinite options…if you like, add some cardamom flavour or even a bit of saffron (Kesar).

Coming to how to get that beautiful texture which is so creamy and yet has a firmness…. we come across many recipes which are no-cook, no-egg and no-churn but many of these recipes are complicated or call for some preservatives too. I won’t advocate such recipes…I like the idea of making ice cream only because it can be done without any CMC or GMS powders. These are obviously exceptional ingredients to ensure a good textured ice cream, but the challenge lies in making home made ice cream without any of these.

I have used very basic ingredients which are easily available and since it doesn’t need any machine to churn the mixture, a simple wired whisk or an electric whisk can do the magic!

Lets make some ice cream…

Place the the wired whisk or the whisk attachment of the electric whisk along with the stainless steel mixing bowl in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes an hour for them to chill.

In the chilled bowl, take the chilled whipping cream, whisk it for 4-5 minutes using the electric whisk until the cream has soft peaks. It will take about 10-12 minutes manually.

Next add the milk powder and whisk again until it is fully incorporated. Now, pour the condensed milk into the whipped cream and using a rubber spatula, gently fold the condensed milk into the whipped cream. Add the lemon zest next. If you are using the colour, add that colour and the tutti frutti bits. Mix everything gently so the the air incorporated into the cream doesn’t escape.

Pour the the mixture into the tin and cover the tin with some aluminium foil. Set it in the freezer for about 2 hours, it will be partially set by then. Remove from the freezer after 2 hours, remove the partially set ice cream in another chilled stainless steel bowl and whisk it again for 2-3 minutes. Pour the mixture back into the tin and cover it again with the foil. Freeze the mixture for 6-7 hours.

To serve, keep the ice cream in room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping it into bowls and devouring it😉

Tip: I have used the lemon zest to cut the sweetness, the ice cream does taste very mildly citrusy. You can omit the colour or choose any other colour.

It’s always better to have a go to pasta sauce recipe…this one here, happens to be mine😊 Especially during these hot summers days….when cooking up a storm isn’t exactly someone’s dream…having this ready in the refrigerator or the freezer can be a lifesaver! 😄

There are days when I go through the entire ritual of sautéing some exotic veggies like some American sweet corn, broccoli, some snow peas and a bit of bell pepper along with some crushed garlic to go with my pasta…and then are days when all I want to do is dump the sauce with some boiled pasta and give it a quick stir and I serve it without any fancy-shmancy garnishing…just a bit of grated cheese and I am all sorted🤗

And hence, happens my quick macaroni with some spicy, vegan-Glutenfree arrabbiata sauce! Just like that….and obviously it’s one of my favourite meals👌🏼😍

This sauce can also be used for topping up your bruschetta along with some slices of olives or just some crumbled feta cheese…..some capers, if like little bursts of salty..briny flavours….see..I have given you some ideas for your next girls’ night in…or if you’re a dude reading this here…make a bruschetta platter for your buddies as you watch the latest season of IPL ’17….or impress a lady friend with your sauve kitchen moves😉

I use this sauce for my chip-n-dip platters on movie nights with my fella…it’s healthy and definitely delicious! Follow this easy recipe for some healthy Wholewheat crackers to go with this sauce.

**Coming to how you would go about storing this sauce. I make a slightly larger batch and refrigerate it and it stays fresh for almost 10-12 days. I don’t add salt while this sauce especially when the purpose is to store it. To freeze, simply cool the sauce and pack them in small ziplock pouches and freeze them. The freezer sauce needs to be thawed at room temperature for about an hour before using it. Always remember to season it using the stored sauce. When making the sauce for immediate consumption, then do add salt as per taste.

Heat oil in the pan, once it is hot enough, add crushed garlic and onions. Sweat these until the onions turn translucent and the garlic turns a bit golden. Then go in the roughly chopped chopped blanched tomatoes.

Keep the flame on low, season with salt, chilli flakes, cracked black pepper, rosemary and oregano. Keep stirring these together for a few minutes to ensure the flavours blend well. Add some warm water at this stage to correct the consistency (I added about 3/4 cup), mix well and cover with a lid and let the sauce cook for about 10 mins on low flame.

Open the lid after 10 minutes, the sauce should be done by now. Turn off the flame, let the sauce cool off a bit. Then using a hand blender, blend the sauce as much as you prefer. I like my sauce a bit chunky so I don’t go overboard with the blending.

If you are making a pasta dish immediately, just add this entire sauce to about 2 cups of boiled macaroni or penne and give them a good toss. Garnish with some finely chopped fresh basil leaves and some grated cheese!

**scroll above to read about how to store this sauce.

Do try this sauce soon…you know what? This even works as a great pizza sauce😉😉

It’s the ‘very berry’ season in my home!! I am literally swamped with berries of late! I am having strawberries and mulberries for breakfast, lunch…dinner and then some for desserts 😁 and I am loving them! They are so juicy and the colour…oh my.. I have an almost permanent purple stain on my lips because of the mulberries 😂😂 but I can’t seem to stop popping them each time I walk past the dining table…and I am never short of excuses to be ‘walking past’!! LoL!

I mean, look at them beauties…can keep your hands off?! Specially the mulberries….this is just the third, maybe the fourth time in my entire 29 years of existence that I could lay my hands on them…probably I couldn’t have paid much attention to them around me…but this year has been different…I can see them everywhere..beautiful, organic and absolutely delicious! Just as yummy as the juicy red strawberries.

I will share some health benefits of various berries here……I have read a lot about them online and because I prefer eating seasonal produce, I strongly recommend that one must have them but obviously you must consult doctors whenever necessary.

Strawberries:

Improves immune system.

Reduces the chance of contracting eye related ailments and issues.

Helps maintains a healthy heart by keeping Blood Pressure in check.

Reduces risk of of gout, cancer and arthritis.

Reduces cholesterol.

Great anti-oxidant and helps maintain great skin, hair and overall health.

Studies say that one bowl of strawberries a d is just about 50 calories!

Mulberry (Shahtoot):

Cures certain diseases.

Cures cancer.

Prevents blood clots and heart stroke.

Cleanses blood.

Prevents seasonal cold and flu.

Strengthens kidney and helps cleanse liver.

Keeps blood sugar in check.

So coming to what I did with these berries besides chomping on them was jamming! I made Strawberry Jam last year, it was super delicious and absolutely lip-smacking! I made another batch within a month because I almost didn’t want it to ever get over 😋

So this time around, I wanted to use both the berries in the jam and that’s exactly what I have done! Look at the jam…it’s so beautifully coloured…and has little chunks of strawberries and mulberries 😍…perfect on a slice of fresh homemade sandwich bread!…..yummmm!

Since I am not tea/ coffee person, I prefer a light lemon tea with a ton of sugar…literally 😂😂 and a couple of slices of bread with my homemade jam slathered all over ….pure bliss!

3/4 cup sugar (I added this much as it is good enough for our taste and the mulberries we’re extremely sweet. Adjust to your taste preferences and as per how sweet the berries are!)

1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Wash the mulberries and the strawberries, pat them dry. Then hull the strawberries using a paring knife (a regular knife will also do). Remove the small stalks on each mulberry. Chop the berries roughly and keep them in a large bowl.

Add sugar to this and mix well. Cover and set it aside for 4-5 hours. Remember to stir it once every 30 mins or so. This will macerate the mulberries and the strawberries well (help in releasing the juices).

After 4-5 hours, that’s how they should look.

Alongside, place a ceramic/ stainless steel plate in the freezer, it will be used later to check the consistency of the jam.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan, add the mulberries and the strawberries with all their juices to the pan, stir continuously until they come a rolling boil, this will take about 6-7 mins. Using a potato masher, mash the mulberries and the strawberries well and continue to stir. Cook for another 10 mins. Add the lemon juice at this stage (lemon juice is added to give a nice gloss to the jam). Let it cook & allow the juices to reduce for a few mins, but ensure you stir it constantly.

Once the jam looks thick and gooey, keeping the flame on, drop some on the chilled plate and wait for 30 secs to let it set. Then draw a line in between, if the lines do not spread into each other, it means that the jam is ready & you can turn off the gas.

If not, then cook it for another 5-7 mins and repeat this step with another chilled plate.

Cool the cooked jam thoroughly and store it a clean & dry glass bottle/ jar. Always use a dry spoon to remove the jam. Store this in the refrigerator and it should last for over 6 months ☺️

I even add some this jam to bowl of warm custard and it tastes delicious…a dessert without effort 😍😍😍

Biscotti is a traditional Italian cookie which requires the dough to be shaped as logs, baked until done, then cooled a bit, sliced and baked again until crispy and crunchy! A perfect companion to your coffee. There’s no other way to describe it except – too good!

Yes, if I may say so myself…this recipe is a keeper. Don’t hunting for other recipes of biscotti because you won’t need one if you try this recipe☺️ This has become my go to recipe for biscotti for the past year or so…and I bake them often!

You can obviously make out how crunchy these are, but definitely not in a bad way! They are crunchy and yet very enjoyable. I will point a few basics that I learnt from this recipe after failing with a couple other recipes in the past.

Essentially, eggs are the only wet ingredients that are added to any biscotti recipe but adding butter or oil can make them richer with obviously a much better texture. This recipe called for oil too but I somehow didn’t like the after taste and hence skipped it after the first trial.

Eggs, yes I have used 1 and a 1/2 egg here…don’t be surprised. I always make half of what this original recipe specifies and trust me, the 1/2 egg is very essential (I realised that too with some trial and error) so do not miss that. However, if you’ve decided to half my recipe, I am not sure how the egg factor will work out! Or probably, ping me later and I will definitely come up with a way for you to do that too ☺️ Else, just use a really small egg.

When I talk about my favourite flavour in a biscotti, I will always say Cinnamon! Else, you can even keep it simple by adding adding just vanilla extract, or if you like nuts, add some sliced pistachios or almonds in the dough. However, if you’re using almonds, do toast them slightly to avoid ending up with soggy nuts. The original recipe calls for brown sugar but I have always used regular castor sugar and I am perfectly happy with the flavour! We, my hubby and I love the flavour of dark chocolate hence, I have dunked these biscottis in some melted chocolate once they had cooled off completely. 😋

Making biscotti takes time, it’s the baking twice that takes time and not making its dough. Getting the dough together is a quick mixing job, then this dough needs to be shaped into logs of deliciousness and then bakedonce…and another time too!! 😉

I have added a lot of step by step pictures as always …so you’re pretty much sorted! I don’t think you’ll have a difficult time going forward with it 😊

Yield: 12 cookies

Equipment: a rolling pin, cooling rack, baking tray, a large mixing bowl, a large serrated knife, parchment paper, measuring cups/ spoons, weighing scales (I have used it to measure everything to the last gram)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon powder, salt and sugar.

2. Add cold and cubed butter into the flour and sugar mixture. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the flour mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Set it aside.

3. Now in a small bowl, whisk one egg. Now remove half of the whisked into another bowl (Save the half whisked egg for egg wash).

**Add one whole egg to the second bowl in which you have transferred half of a whisked egg. Now whisk this one and a half egg together. Add vanilla extract to the whisked eggs and whisk again.

4. Now add the whisked mixture of eggs and vanilla extract into the flour and butter. Use a large silicon spatula to mix until everything is well moistened but do not over mix.

5. Now, sprinkle some flour in a large plate or the working surface. Place the dough on this floured surfaced and knead well for a few minutes. But keep enough loose flour around as this dough is super sticky so you’ll continuously need to dust the surface and your palms too.

Dont worry about the dough even if it looks too sticky, it will all come together in a few minutes.

In the mean while, preheat the oven at 160’c.

6. Shape the dough as shown below and place it on a parchment lined baking tray. I had dusted the parchment paper with some flour too.

7. We had set aside 1/2 a whisked egg aside, add 1 tbsp of milk to it and whisk again. Use it to Give an egg wash to the shaped dough.

8. Bake this shaped dough at 160’c for 20-25 minutes using the lower heating element. In the last 5 minutes of the baking time, turn on the upper heating elements to give a good colour to the top of the biscotti.

Leave the oven running at 140’c.

9. Now, let this cool for about 15 minutes but not completely cold. Using a large serrated knife, cut it into 1.5 inch wide slices. Place them on the parchment lined baking tray as shown below.

10. Bake the sliced biscotti on the first side for 7-8 mins. Then flip them over to bake the other side for another 5 mins. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before enjoying these crunchy treats with your favourite cuppa! 🤗

11. If you wish to dip them in chocolate too, melt together 30 gms of dark chocolate with 1 tsp of butter over a double boiler or in a microwave. Once the biscotti has cooled completely, dip one end of each biscotti in the melted chocolate, let them dry and then they are ready to serve! You can dip the entire biscotti in chocolate too, no one will judge you 😁

These stay crunchy and fresh in an airtight container for about a week or so.

Pasta has to be one of my favourite comfort foods…it just lifts my mood. I can have it in any kind of sauce…or even just a basic tossed pasta salad with some olive oil and some herbs!

I particularly prefer the red sauce for any pasta…but since I also enjoy a citrusy flavour to pasta sometimes, I planned to go with my Lemon Cream sauce which is absolutely delicious for our weekend brunch, it’s a bit tangy and goes so well with penne or even spaghetti for that matter. Since the sauce is cream based, it coats the pasta well…and I chose to add some sweet corn, you can add more veggies or even boiled & shredded chicken or some sliced sausages if you wish.

Let’s begin..

Yield: serves 2

Equipment: a non-stick pan, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

1 cup boiled penne pasta (follow the instructions on the packaging)

2 tbsp garlic butter (or regular butter)

1 tsp oil

5-6 nos. black peppercorns

1/2 cup boiled sweet corn kernels

4-5 nos. fresh basil leaves sliced

1 tbsp Maida all purpose flour)

3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp fresh cream

1/2 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

Dried Italian herbs to taste

Method:

Heat the pan on low flame, add butter & oil. Once the butter melts into the oil, add the peppercorns. Sauté for a minute.

Then add the flour and sauté for 2-3 mins. Once the roux is ready, add milk and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of mins while you stir it. Add the sliced basil leaves and corn kernels, season with salt and dry Italian herbs. Mix well. Turn off the flame. Let the sauce cool for a minute or two, add the cream and lemon juice. Stir well. Once again keep turn on the flame on low mode. Then add the boiled penne and toss everything together quickly. Turn off the flame. That’s it, it’s ready. You can add grated cheese on the top if you wish…I don’t. 😊

You like pizza, I know you do! It’s Friday night…you’re watching your favourite rom-com, you scarf down 5 slices of Pizza without pausing for a breath….and then the DOUGH hits you! Hits you hard 😶😶😶 it’s super chewy, hard and weighs you down. Not the best note to start your weekend on, right!?

We are all the same, I am just like you…love to have pizzas…watch movie marathons and hate getting off my couch on weekends! But not at the cost of feeling weighed down and missing the next two meals or so. Hence, my Wholewheat Pizza Base is perfect for satisfying all those pizza cravings in a healthy way 🤗

They are extremely light, crisp on the outside, moist within and taste way better than the all purpose flour ones. And the toppings…well that’s a whole other topic! Play! Yes, simply play with the toppings…veg..non-veg..greens or just plain cheese and herbs! They all work well with this Wholewheat Pizza Base. Although, if you still feel good about a APF pizza base, click here for a detailed, step by step recipe. Also, learn to make your own homemade pizza sauce, absolutely lip smacking and the quickest recipe ever!

A few things to keep in mind when making your own Wholewheat Pizza Base..

1. Yeast – I have used Active Dry yeast. Keep in mind the manufacturing date and the expiration date. Mine is manufactured in June’16 and expires in February ’17. So that’s the window..but I won’t be using this packet after December ’16. The effectiveness of the yeast diminishes with time. So work according to the dates.

2. Wholewheat Flour – I have used Aashirwaad Select flour here. Also, I didn’t seive the flour before kneading the dough. Just measured it correctly by first fluffing the flour, then adding spoonfuls of the flour into the measuring cup and then levelling it off with a palette knife. This is very crucial, so be measure it right!

3. Hydration – Wholewheat flour based breads need slightly more hydration as opposed to the APF ones. I used olive oil and water to hydrate the dough. (You can use regular refined oil too).

Let’s get baking!

Yield: 4-5 pizza bases depending on the size and the thickness. (I made 5 bases of approximately 7″ diameter).

2.5 cups wholewheat flour + some extra flour to dust the board while rolling the dough

125 ml warm water (you should be able to comfortably hold your finger in the water)

25-30 ml water @r.t.

3 tsp sugar

3 tsp active dry yeast

4 tbsp olive oil + 2 tsp extra to grease the dough

1.5 tsp sea salt

Method:

Activate the yeast – take 125 ml warm water and add the sugar & yeast. Mix well. Cover and set aside for 10 mins without disturbing it, to let the yeast bloom. If it doesn’t bloom, discard & start again. Don’t compromise this step.

To make the dough – take the flour in a bowl, add salt and oil. Next add all the bloomed yeast mixture in one go. Start mixing them altogether using your fingers. At first the dough will be sticky but it will come together with 3-5 mins of kneading. Add 25 ml of water and keep kneading until you have a smooth dough. The more you knead, the better the dough shall rise! Grease the dough with 2 tsp oil and knead again for a 2-3 mins. Totally, you need to knead for about 15-20 mins. Cover with a kitchen towel and place it in a warm place for 45-60 mins to rise.

After 45 mins, this is what the dough looked like post the first rise.

Now, we punch the dough down and divide it into equals sized balls. Cover them again and let them rest for 30 mins for the second rise. The third picture below shows the size of the dough balls post the second rise.

Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 200’c.

Now, dust the rolling board and the pin with some wholewheat flour and roll out the balls into a flatbread of about 3mm thickness and the diameter of about 6″-7″. Prick them well with fork as shown below.

Place the rolled dough on the baking tray and bake for 12-15 mins using both, upper & lower heating elements at 200’c to 210’c. (Please note every oven works differently so keep an eye on the pizza base, once it turns golden on the top side, take it out of the oven).

Once baked, cool the base on a cooling rack for 10 mins. Then apply pizza sauce & add other toppings and cheese and bake for another 10 mins or until the cheese melts. Enjoy!

If storing for future use, cool them completely, wrap them in cling wrap and refrigerate. Stays fresh for 2-3 days under refrigeration.

If you love Almonds, then these cookies will make you swoon! They are crunchy & yet very moist. The nuttiness from the toasted Almonds compliments the butteriness just right. 😍

At first, when I baked these, I was positive that my hubby may not approve of them…and I will end up eating the entire batch…although it was small one. Later that evening, he takes one tentative bite off a cookie and I see him stalking past me with the entire box!! No complaints there! I was super pleased. I didn’t need to ask him how these cookies tasted…they were finished in 2 days😁🤓

I will be making these again…maybe around Christmas.

I have followed a very easy recipe that I had bookmarked sometime back. I have made a very small change here, the original recipe called for Amaretto, I replaced it with Vanilla extract as I didn’t have any Amaretto.

All you Nigella Lawson fans out there must already know what Amaretto is…(she uses it generously in her desserts) and for those of you who don’t….well it’s a sweet, almond flavoured liquor from Italy. Saronno to be precise! ☺️

Any ways, coming to the recipe…it’s as easy as it gets but I will share a few pointers on how to measure the flour for that perfect cookie.

Pre heat the oven @170’C. See tips for baking/ heating oven here. Line the baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk sugar and butter until fluffy. The sugar must dissolve but do not over whisk as the butter may split.

Next, add the flour, salt, vanilla extract. Whisk again for a minute to mix the butter & the flour well. Then add the almond slivers and mix gently using a spatula.

Place the dough on the cling wrap. Gently shape the dough into a log. Wrap it in the cling well. Place it in the refrigerator for 40-45 mins.

Once the dough has chilled well for 45 mins, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit out for a few mins. Then cut the log of dough into 1/4 inch slices.

Place them an inch apart on the prepped baking tray and bake @ 170’c for 12-15 mins or just until the edges turn slightly golden. Once baked, cool on the cooling rack for about 15-20 mins. They will crisp up.

Then store them in an airtight container. They stay fresh for about 3-4 days.☺️

Tips on measuring the flour correctly: Never dip the measuring cup in the flour and remove a cupful of flour. You will end up with a lot more flour than required. Always fluff the flour well with a spoon. Then use the spoon to fill the measuring cup to the top and level it off using a knife. This way you will always have the exact amount of flour needed and the dough won’t turn too dry because of excess flour.